In 2010, consumption of certain species of fish from some rivers was banned in Swiss due to significant excess of the maximum allowable level of PCBs.

It was reported that in 90% of sheep's liver in Germany PCB concentration is above the permissible level.

High concentrations of PCBs (due to the work of transformers processing plant) recently led to the fact that in one of the largest cities in Germany vegetables become unsuitable for food consumption.

The PCB are used in industry as a coolant, as an additive in paint, plastics and carbon paper, and as dielectric material in electrical transformers and capacitors.

Some Nigerians treat their skin with transformer oil containing PCBs to make it softer and gradually achieve the whitening effect.

Some people in Honduras use PCBs as a remedy against arthritis.

In Sri Lanka, some welders prefer working with oils based on PCBs, because they are cheaper than conventional oils used for cooling.

In some African countries, local cooking oils are the result of the so-called "transformer cannibalism" and sometimes contain pure PCBs compounds "askrel" and "pyralene".